Las Tunas takes 2-0 lead in Cuban baseball final playoff

LAS TUNAS.- Las Tunas trashed 11-4 Granma in the second game of the grand final of the 57th Cuban National Baseball Series.

Las Tunas, who had never reached this stage before, achieved their second win in the final, thus taking a huge step towards the title that would provide them a ticket to the next Caribbean Series, with headquarters in the Mexican city of Jalisco that will start next February 1st.

The winners batted 18 hits with highlight to 3B Yordanis Alarcon, who hit 4 for 5, C Yosvani Alarcon, 3 for 5, LF Jorge Yhonson, 3 for 5, and 1B Rafael Viñales, 2 for 4 including a 3-run homer in the very first frame.

Lefty starter Ulfrido Garcia took the loss when allowing 4 earned runs, with 3 hits and one walk, without taking any out, while reliever Alejandro Meneces earned the win after pitching six scoreless innings surrendering only two hits, with four strikeouts.

The third game of the grand final will be played tomorrow in Granma with right-hander Vladimir Baños as starting pitcher for Las Tunas, while Alain Sanchez will do it for the current monarchs of Cuban baseball.